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Provo • The eyes of Texas are always on the Longhorns.

After a 40-21 thrashing by BYU on Saturday night, however, the eyes of everyone involved in college football might be on them, too.

Is Texas a national-caliber football team?

It didn't look like it against the Cougars, who ran through the Longhorn defense, limited their offense and looked far more like a relevant national program.

The Longhorns were outgained, 679-445.

They scored one touchdown over the final 40 minutes.

Against them, BYU's Taysom Hill looked like Johnny Manziel, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from historic rival Texas A&M.

Texas entered the BYU game after a season-opening and obviously misleading 56-7 win over New Mexico State.

In that game, Quarterback David Ash threw for 343 yards and added 91 rushing, becoming only the second player in the illustrious history of the Longhorns to pass for over 300 yards and run for more than 90 in the same game.

Defensively, Texas held the Aggies to 104 yards rushing and 346 total yards. New Mexico State failed to convert of 13 of 18 third-down attempts. Its longest run from scrimmage was 15 yards.

Against BYU, however, the Longhorns never came close to dominating a game they were favored to win. The Texas defense, in fact, looked clueless.

In the first quarter, BYU ran 28 plays, gained 180 yards and grabbed a 10-7 lead. By halftime, the Cougars had gained 411 yards, including 349 on the ground, and owned a 27-14 lead.

BYU's final three possessions of the second quarter illustrated its domination.

Leading 14-10, Texas watched the Cougars convert two third downs and one fourth down during a 76-yard drive that ended with Hill's touchdown.

Down 17-14, the Longhorn offense failed to move and the defense again crumbled. BYU drove 59 yards in nine plays and scored on Paul Lasike's 10-yard run.

Still, Texas had a chance to stay close, but the Ash-led offense failed to convert and punted.

BYU quickly moved 77 yards in nine plays and probably would have scored another touchdown except the Cougars ran out of time. They settled for a field goal and a 27-14 lead.

The grim totals for the Longhorns?

On BYU's final three possessions of the half — in a span of less than eight minutes — their defense allowed 212 yards and 17 points.

Texas went from seeming to be control to looking like it had panicked in the face of the Cougars' offensive blitz. —

Longhorns' woes

• Texas was outgained, 679-445, during its 40-21 loss at BYU.

• The Longhorn offense struggled and went only 5 for 17 on third down.

• Texas' defense allowed 212 yards on BYU's final three first-half drives.